Attacks on firefighters surge in advance of Halloween

A SERIES of attacks is threatening the work of Dublin firefighters in the run-up to their busiest time of year, unions have warned…

A SERIES of attacks is threatening the work of Dublin firefighters in the run-up to their busiest time of year, unions have warned.

Three fire crews were attacked with stones on Tuesday night while trying to extinguish separate fires.

Crews from Finglas and Phibsborough were called to attend two separate fires in Ballymun, in the north of the city, at about 7pm on Tuesday.

They were attacked with stones by a gang of youths when they arrived and some of their equipment was stolen.

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Another crew from Tallaght were attending a fire in Ballyfermot in west Dublin when they were hit by stones.

There were no injuries to the firefighters but their vehicles sustained minor damage.

A spokesman for Dublin Fire Brigade said such attacks on emergency services were becoming common. “It happens every week but it’s particularly bad in the run-up to Halloween,” he said.

“The crews will stop to check a bonfire and then they’ll get stoned.”

Dublin Fire Brigade Siptu union convenor John Kidd said the number of attacks was increasing.

He blamed the rise in incidents on high unemployment and dissatisfaction with the Government.

However, he said attacks could cost lives and appealed for parents to supervise their children.

“Please do not attack the fire brigade because you never know when you might need them.”

Mr Kidd warned that if the attacks continued, firefighters could walk out in protest. “Stress levels are very high. There is such anger that people could walk off the job.”

Assistant chief fire officer Stephen Brady has appealed for people to attend official Halloween events rather than organise their own.

“Last year on Halloween night the emergency response call centre received 1,037 calls, mainly because of illegal bonfires and fireworks,” he said.

“Responding to such a huge number of call-outs mean we have to spread our resources more thinly and inevitably increases the time it takes to get to emergencies.”